What to do after a car accident in Jacksonville, Florida
The local steps are quoted from Jacksonville agency pages and the Florida rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
No fault state
The short answer
Crashes inside Jacksonville are worked by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the consolidated police force for the whole city and Duval County, and its non emergency number is 904.630.0500.
Stay at the scene and call 911 if the crash caused an injury or a death, was a hit and run, involved a drunk driver or a commercial truck, needed a wrecker, or did at least $500.00 of visible damage, and if it was smaller than that you may file the report yourself instead.
A Jacksonville crash report is bought from Florida's official Crash Portal, run by the state highway safety department, and the portal makes you pick the category that makes you eligible and swear an oath before it will let you search.
Who comes to a crash in Jacksonville
The agency that responds
Crashes inside Jacksonville are worked by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the consolidated police force for the whole city and Duval County, and its non emergency number is 904.630.0500.
“within Duval County, but not locations within Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, at the University of North Florida or at the Jacksonville International Airport”
When officers actually come out
Stay at the scene and call 911 if the crash caused an injury or a death, was a hit and run, involved a drunk driver or a commercial truck, needed a wrecker, or did at least $500.00 of visible damage, and if it was smaller than that you may file the report yourself instead.
“A crash where apparent damage is at least $500.00.”
If no officer comes
When no officer writes the report, the driver fills in the state Driver Report of a Traffic Crash and files it within 10 days, using a crash form picked up at the scene or from a law enforcement office.
“You are required to self-report within 10 days of the incident.”
On the interstates and state highways
Crashes on the interstates and state highways around Jacksonville are worked by the Florida Highway Patrol, whose Troop G covers Duval County, and its reports are sold through the same state crash portal.
“Troop G consists of the nine counties of Northeast Florida including Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns and Union.”
What Florida law requires you to report
A driver must immediately report a crash to local police, the county sheriff, or the Florida Highway Patrol when the crash causes injury, death, or at least $500 in apparent property damage.
“damage to any vehicle or other property in an apparent amount of at least $500”
Getting your Jacksonville crash report
Where to get it
A Jacksonville crash report is bought from Florida's official Crash Portal, run by the state highway safety department, and the portal makes you pick the category that makes you eligible and swear an oath before it will let you search.
“Access to crash reports containing personal information is limited to listed parties and entities only per s. 316.066(2)(b), Fla. Stat.”
How long it takes
A Jacksonville crash report can take up to 10 days to appear, because Florida gives law enforcement agencies 10 days to send the report to the state.
“Traffic crash reports may take up to 10 days to become available.”
What it costs
The crash report costs $10.00 plus a $2.00 convenience fee on each transaction, and the portal will only sell it to you after you swear you are one of the people Florida law lets see it during the first 60 days.
“In order to obtain a crash report, you must pay the statutorily required fee of $10.00 per report, plus an additional $2.00 convenience fee for each payment transaction”
If your car was towed
Where it goes and how to get it back
There is no single city impound lot: a car towed from a Jacksonville crash goes to the wrecker company on the Sheriff's rotating wrecker call list, and the Sheriff sets the ceiling on what that company can charge you.
“Sec. 804.1204. Towing, other services and storage charges; notice by the Sheriff”
Storage is charged by the day in most cities, so the bill grows while a claim is still open. Tell your insurer where the car is as soon as you know.
Florida deadlines that apply in Jacksonville
- 2 years
- to sue for injuriesFla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a)
- 2 years
- to sue for car or property damageFla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a)
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathFla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(e)
- 3 years
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedFla. Stat. § 768.28(6)(a)
All Florida rules: fault, insurance minimums and the full deadline list
The Florida rules behind your claim
Who pays for the damage
Florida is a no-fault state. Drivers must carry personal injury protection insurance that pays their own medical bills after a crash no matter who caused it, and the right to sue the other driver for pain and suffering is limited unless the injury is serious.
“maintain security for personal injury protection as required by the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law”
If you were partly at fault
If you are more than half at fault for your own injuries, you cannot recover any damages from the other driver. If you are fifty percent or less at fault, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault.
“any party found to be greater than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm may not recover any damages”
What insurance every driver must carry
Florida requires drivers to carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. Bodily injury liability coverage is not required for most drivers, though it is required for taxis and some other drivers.
“a minimum of $10,000 in PIP AND a minimum of $10,000 in PDL”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
- Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Citizen's Online Crime Reporting System
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Traffic Crash Reports
- Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Driver Self Report of a Traffic Crash
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida's Official Crash Portal
- Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Services We Offer
- Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Wrecker Towing Rates FY 2026
- Duval County Clerk of Courts, Small Claims
- Florida Highway Patrol, Troop G
The state law behind these steps
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.